Draconis Cor
by Runaway Rory
Summary: Luffy has always been able to make friends, even out of the most unlikely people. When Luffy was still just a kid running around with his older brother, he manages to befriend a very strange creature indeed. Not a romance fic, just so you know.
1. Prologue

**~Prologue~**

_There was a time when we feared no one. A time that we were at the top of the social chain. At one time we were both feared and loved—considered descendants of the greatest beasts that have ever walked this earth. We did not associate with other creatures. We only looked after our own, and left the others to do as they needed. We lived at peace with the grounded beings who had no claws or horns, nor wings or tails._

_But things have changed since that time. The grounded people have come to hate us for reasons unknown. Whenever they lay eyes on us, we met with tragedy. Our numbers have continued to dwindle thanks to the pistols and swords and other weapons that are used to end our lives. My people...I've seen so many faces disappear. Despite the fact that we've lived in solitude, away from prying eyes, we are still hunted. We try not to draw attention, but still they come bearing items of death that reek destruction on our homes. _

_I'm tired. Tired of running and looking for new den sites. I'm tired of losing everything. I shall not run anymore. I am old, and it will be the death of me, but I will not cower in fear as the demons come to slay me. No. I will stand and fight. I'll fight for the hearts that I have lost. Brothers and sisters...Children and grandchildren...So many of them have fallen to the monsters that follow us._

_I have others that are with me. They too want to make a final stand. I've been told that the youngest of our clan has fled East. Good. She is very young. She deserves a live a while longer. Maybe she'll come across a sister clan. Or perhaps even rebuild what we've lost. Whatever she does, I only have one prayer._

_May the ancestors look after her. May they look after us all, even in the afterlife._

_Now I must go. They have finally shown themselves. I can hear them and their hatred filled hearts. This is the end._

_Farewell._


	2. Occursus

**Chapter 1: Occursus  
**

Thugs loitered around the piles of junk that littered the area outside of the snobby rich city. They stayed together, either because there was safety in numbers or because it was easier to bully other people into giving up their possessions that way. Some other poor souls spent their time sifting through garbage in hopes of finding something of value that wealthy folks might have tossed aside without a care. In other words, it was a typical day in Gray Terminal. Even after the fire that swept though the place, people still wound up living there.

Among the unfortunates were the familiar faces of the local trouble makers, Portgas D. Ace and Monkey D. Luffy. The aspiring pirates had a somewhat infamous reputation. It was pretty routine for them to come down from the mountain and look for something to do. Often times they would end up teaching the more ignorant thieves why it was a bad idea to mug them. It might not have been nice, but it was a good way to practice their skills at the very least.

The brothers don't spent very much time looking for treasure any more, not since the third brother of their trio passed away. They had decided it was no longer necessary to save money for a big pirate ship. The main reason they've been coming around these days is because of the rumors they've been hearing about a creature that appeared recently.

"I heard it has red scales and sharp claws. Do you think its a big lizard?" Luffy asked. At this point he was about eleven years old. "That would be cool!"

"I dunno. We'll find out if we get a chance to see it." His older brother replied. Ace was fourteen at the time. "I heard it has snake eyes and sharp teeth."

The younger of the siblings stuck his head inter a gap between piles of junk. "Helloooo!" he called. "Where are you hiding?"

Ace didn't bother to question why the creature would answer him if it was hiding. Luffy rarely thought about things before he went ahead and did them. Instead, the older brother looked around trying to find any hints of the mysterious monster they were looking for.

While Luffy struggled to pull his head free, he suddenly saw a scaly red tail disappear behind a pile of rubble. "Ace! I saw it!" he shouted, excited. His brother yanked him out of the gap. "I saw it on the other side!" The boy with the straw hat scramble to get over the mound of garbage.

"Where?" Ace climbed up next to him, looking around. "I don't see anything."

"This way!" Luffy ran to where he he saw the tail disappear, but he stopped and looked around. "I saw it go somewhere this way..." He knew what he saw, but now he didn't know where the creature went. The junkyard was like a maze. It could have gone anywhere.

"Let's go look around then. It has to be in the area somewhere." Ace took the lead and began peering around corners to see if he could locate what they were after. "I heard it's pretty strong though, so be careful. We might have to fight it."

From then on, the boys continued to look for clues. At first they were quite eager, barely able to contain their excitement as they searched, but as time went on their spirits dwindled. They spent nearly the entire day wandering around Gray Terminal. "Are you sure you even saw it, Luffy?" Ace asked at one point.

"Yeah! I saw it's tail! I just don't know where it went after that." his younger brother replied. "I bet we can still find it!"

Ace sighed. "I'm getting hungry. Why don't we start looking again tomorrow?" he suggested.

Right then, Luffy's stomach growled, reminding him that he too was hungry. "Okay." At the thought of food, he decided the scaly monster could wait for another day. Eating was definitely more important. With that, the boys began heading back in the direction of their tree house. Somewhere along the way though, Ace spotted something interesting.

"Hey, Luffy! Look!" He crouched low and picked up two shiny red scales. "It looks like that thing has been through here." Each scale was about the size of a thumb nail. He looked up and saw his brother about to call out. He hurriedly covered the boy's mouth. "Shh! If it's nearby, we don't want to let it know we're around!" Luffy blinked and nodded, so Ace let him go. "We can look around a little. If it's not here, then we'll go home."

The pair looked around, trying to be quiet. It was difficult, for Luffy, whom often knocked things over. Ace peered around a pile of garbage, and gasped at what he saw.

Let it be known that seeing a woman in Gray Terminal was a rare thing on it's own. However, that isn't what caught the teen's attention. Not four feet away, a humanoid creature was kneeling in front of a bag that she was sifting though. She had a combination of human skin and reptilian scales. Her skin was lightly tanned, either naturally or because of the sun, Ace couldn't tell. A trail of crimson scales started at her cheek bones and disappeared underneath long, strawberry blond hair. Hints of scales could be seen on her neck and hands, continuing beneath her clothing. Her bottom half looked even more reptilian, with scaly feet that seemed to have talons rather than toes, perfect for gripping prey. If Ace had to guess, he'd say they looked like wyvern feet. Her clothes were tailored to accommodate a long, spindly tail that had two spikes on the tip. She turned slightly, revealing eyes that were all amber, with only pupils indicating where she was looking.

"A lizard woman! Cool!" Luffy exclaimed. The girl's attention suddenly snapped to them, eyes narrowed with irritation.

"I am not a lizard, you human brat!" she growled. "And why must your kind hunt me so? I'll be gone in a few days, so leave me be!" An inhuman growl erupted from her throat as she barred her long, sharp canines at the boys.

"Hey, are you strong?" Luffy asked. He seemed oblivious to her hostility. "You should be our nakama!"

The girl's head tilted to the side as she regarded the younger boy. The hostility melted away after realizing that these two youngsters didn't mean any harm. "And why, pray tell, would I want to associate with humans? And a couple of little brats, no less..." She was a few years older than Ace.

"Cause we're strong too! So let's be nakama! It'll be fun." Luffy insisted. Ace could see that there would be no stopping him now. His little brother was nothing if not persistent.

The reptilian woman snorted. "Younglings like you? Strong? Ha! Don't make me laugh!" She turned away from, tail swishing as she picked up her bag. "Begone, silly children. I've nothing to gain by your presence." With a significant show of agility and grace, she climbed up a pile of junk and disappeared.

Luffy tried to follow, but it was too slippery. "Oi, wait up!" he said.

"C'mon, Luffy." Ace said. "Let's go eat. We can try making friends with her tomorrow." he said.

Luffy thought about it for a minute and then agreed. "Okay." The boys started in the direction of their tree house.


	3. Nitor

**Chapter 2: Nitor  
**

New days bring new challenges. This couldn't be more true for the reptile that skulked around the junkyard. So far she had done well to avoid running into the lowlife humans that made this place their home. There were only a few times that she had to fight them off, and it had been easy. They didn't stand a chance, partially because of the lack of food that comes their way. She felt a small pang of sympathy, for she too had endured days without getting a meal, and understood the weakness that came with it.

"Oi! Lizard lady!"

The scaly girl hissed under her breath. Those boys from the day before had come again in search of her. They didn't find her, but she could hear their insistent calls. They've been at it all morning, as if she'd actually go to them. She was tempted to meet them now, if only to beat some sense into them. She wasn't a lizard! She wished her wings and fire would hurry and come, for she couldn't stand being mistaken for her distant cousins. Alas, she still had days yet to wait. Her eighteenth year was just around the corner.

The young reptile's eyes slid shut. Despite the obvious danger of being seen by potential enemies, she relaxed. She was sitting at the bottom of a heap of junk, letting her scales absorb the heat of the sun. Of in the distance, she vaguely heard another shout from that straw hat boy, but she ignored it. Instead she focused on the heat. It gave her energy and helped her relax tense muscles. She slipped into a sort of light slumber.

"Lizard lady!"

Her eyes snapped open in surprise, and she cursed her negligence when she was met the sight of those children. She should know better than to sleep with all these humans around. Her eyes narrowed with irritation. "I'm not a lizard, you fool." she hissed. "Stop calling me that."

"What's your name then?" The freckle faced boy asked. "I'm Ace, and this is my brother Luffy."

The reptile snorted. "I'm not telling." She stood and began climbing up the mountain of junk. She gasped and slipped a little when she felt someone grab her tail. She looked over her shoulder, about to snap at whoever had the nerve to do such a thing. No words came though. Instead her eye's widened upon sight of Luffy's arm stretching beyond human capability. She ducked just in time to dodged his body when he started flying at her.

"Oof!" The straw hat boy crashed into a wall of garbage, and rolled to the bottom. Before he could get up, he felt something land heavily on him. He looked to see talons gripping his body, keeping him pinned. He looked up just as his cheeks started being stretched. "Wha..."

The reptile girl was busy inspecting the boy's rubbery skin. "This is...Not normal..." she noted aloud.

"I ate the Gum Gum Devil Fruit." said Luffy.

"Ah. The explains it." The girl spent another moment testing the elasticity of his skin, and then lost interest. She released him and began leaving again. "Don't follow me." she said, as she rounded a corner. Of course, she knew they wouldn't listen, so as soon as she cut off their sight line, she started running.

The boys were up and after her in a matter of seconds. They were determined to keep on her tail this time around. "Hey, Luffy, Let's split up. Maybe we can corner her." Ace suggested. "You keep in your sight, and I'll try to get in front of her."

"Okay!" Luffy nodded and continued running after the reptile.

After that, the boys had managed to confront her time after time. They continued to insist on being friends, despite the repeated negative answers they received. The D brothers were not known for giving up, however, so the scaly girl was given a run for her money.

"Tell us your name!" "Let's be friends!" "Don't run away!" "Wait up lizard lady!" "Be our nakama!

"Grahhh! Leave me alone!" The reptilian creature was at her wit's end. She was out of breath and sitting on the ground by the end of the day. No mater what she did, she couldn't shake them. She took twisting turns, climbed up the most unstable junk mountains, hid in little alcoves, and even tried digging underneath the rubble. Nothing worked. They were like blood hounds, and once they got her metaphorical scent, they were on her forever. They were persistent little brats, she'll give them that. Their determination could rival that of her people.

"We finally caught up to you!" Luffy was panting as he stopped in front of her. "Man, you can run fast." He punctuated the sentence with a laugh.

"What...do you want from me?" the girl asked in between breaths. She looked up at Luffy, eyes betraying the fact that her patience had worn thin.

"I want to be friends!" he replied.

"So you've said..." The reptile closed her eyes just as the boy's brother stepped onto the scene, equally out of breath. "I can't believe this...My ancestors must be turning in their graves..." she muttered to herself. She was about to go against everything she was taught. Then again, these two didn't fit the description of the monsters that her clan had run from for so long. She stood up, the spark of competition lighting up her eyes as she opened them. "Very well, boys. I realize you will not stop until I give you a chance." Her tail twitched in anticipation. "I'm called Bellus." She continued before either of the kids could speak. "Now, prove your worth, Ace and Luffy. You say you're strong, so show me!"

"You wanna fight us?" Ace asked.

"Yes. I will not have anything to do with weaklings. If you wish for me to be your friend, then show me that I won't be wasting my time with you." The reptile, Bellus, made herself clear. It was written in her DNA that she challenge future comrades.

The boys looked at each other and grinned. They've been wanting to find out how strong she was, and this was a perfect chance. "Okay, lizard lady! Get ready!" It didn't bother them in the slightest. The brothers sparred against each other all the time. This would be no different.

"I have told you my name. Do not call me a lizard." she replied calmly. "I am a dragon."


	4. Dignus

**Chapter 3: Dignus  
**

"A dragon!?" Luffy's shock went ignored. "Wha!" He narrowly dodged the scaly talons that swung passed his head. The reptilian woman certainly wasn't wasting any time. Nor was she planning on going too easy on the boys, despite their ages. "But don't dragons have wings?"

"Silence, boy. We fight now." Bellus stated. She paid no attention to the curiosity that the kids felt. She craved competition, and these boys would give that to her if she had anything to say about it. She dropped low to the ground and swept her leg underneath Luffy's feet, knocking him into the dirt. For the moment, he had been quite distracted by the news that dragons exist. He lands with an audible thud, coupled with an 'Oof!'as the air was stolen from his lungs. He was used to being knocked around though, since his brother always won their sparring matches.

Ace leaped towards the opponent, swinging the pipe he used as a weapon in an arc aimed at the reptile's back. Her tail whipped up to wrap around the makeshift staff, halting its progress. She yanked the metal weapon toward her, and Ace made the mistake of trying to hold onto it. He stumbled forward, right into the girl's shoulder as it slammed into gut. He doubled over, fighting to regain the breath he suddenly lost.

Just then, Luffy's elastic arms and legs circled around Bellus multiple times and snapped into place to bind her body. He gave his brother time to recover as the reptilian girl struggled to regain her freedom. Any normal person's joints would have been disconnected, but no matter how hard Bellus pulled and stretched the boy's limbs, they simply wouldn't let up. They merely snapped back into place, causing a slight sting every time they hit the girl's body. She could have easily bitten Luffy, or clawed at his skin, but she would not fight for blood again a mere child. "Release me!" Bellus shouted, growing more and more frustrated with each passing second.

"No!" Luffy replied stubbornly.

By then, Ace was up and already moving. His pipe staff hit the side of the reptile's head with an audible _smack._ Thankfully, her skull was as hard as steel, so she would not experience any lasting damage. She did, however, cease her struggling for a moment and even stumbled slightly She blinked and shook her head in an attempt to get rid of the double vision she experience after the blow.

Bellus did her best to focus on what she hoped was the real Ace, and not one of the disorienting copies she saw. She began to respect these boys, just a little bit. "You're certainly stronger than an average human, I'll give you that much." she admitted. Her spindly tail swiftly coiled around Luffy's neck. "However, this isn't over yet." Her tail tightened, causing Luffy to gasp and eventually release the girl in favor of struggling to get some air. Soon enough, she dropped in, and left him forgotten as he gasped for breath.

The reptile turned her attention to the boy's brother. Ace, who was always so much stronger than Luffy, was having a bit of a hard time keeping up with this creature before him. He managed to get in a few good blows, but so did she. With each punch or kick that landed, he could practically feel the bruises already forming. At first glance, this girl really didn't look like she was all that strong. But she was almost like a snake, with lean, flexible muscles that have a lot of power hidden away within.

Bellus was undergoing a similar experience. Despite being a human, this boy had a lot more power in his body that it seemed. She could feel her bones ringing with every crushing blow from the boy's metal weapon. It was quite impressive, to say the least. _For a human,_ Bellus thought. Soon she managed to catch the pipe, and slammed her foot into the boy's chest, causing him to let go because of the shock.

Ace fell onto his back. He looked up just in time to see a clawed foot press into his chest. He glared up at the girl and instinctively grabbed her leg as she pressed down to keep him pinned. "A valiant effort, young one, but clearly I—Gah!" Suddenly something connected to her back at the speed of a bullet. She was aware of hitting the ground, bouncing once or twice, and then a pile of junk toppled into her. She dug herself out and stumbled to her feet. She looked around in a daze, her memory failing her for a moment. She couldn't fathom what just happened.

"Gum Gum..." Bellus looked just in time to see Luffy taking the form of a slingshot, with himself also the ammo. "Rocket!" The boy yelled. The reptile could only watch in stunned silence as the human projectile sped toward her. With what was possibly a record breaking headbutt, the straw hat boy slammed into her. They both rolled some ways across the junk yard before finally coming to a stop. Bellus panted, slowly regaining the breath that was knocked out of her. She gazed up at the sky, reveling in the aches that started making themselves known. Strange as it may seem, her kind enjoy getting bruised during sparing matches, to an extent. They were like souvenirs that showed a dragon's love of competition.

"I am sorry, Grandfather..." the reptilian girl murmured. "I know you wouldn't approve. But this is how things will be." Bellus stood up after a few moments and began brushing dust from her clothing. She glanced at Luffy, who was struggling to get out from under a pile of garbage. His brother showed up and eyed the reptile warily, ready to continue fighting. "Peace, boy. I've decided the battle is over." Ace nodded once and then pulled his brother to his feet. "Very well, you two. You've proven that you're more than a match against me. When you're together, anyway." she added, perhaps to save her own pride. "Fair is fair. I suppose it couldn't hurt to hang around with you."

"Awesome!" Luffy literally jumped for joy, a wide smile suddenly plastered to his face. "Hey, do you want to come see our tree-house?" he asked. "It's okay to show her, right?" He looked at his brother.

While Ace was not nearly as trusting as Luffy, he didn't see any harm in that. "Sure. Why not?" he replied. With that, Luffy grinned and took off toward the forest with his brother following a little more slowly.

Bellus lingered for a moment, watching the boys with an ounce of apprehension. She grew up on the run from these very same creatures, and now she had agreed to befriend them. They didn't oust her because of her species, and that was a good sign, but would it last? The mind changes with time. The reptile shook her head and followed them, putting her worries from her mind. A promise is a promise, and as a dragon, she would uphold it.

The girl's eyes widened when she stepped into the forest, for she was met with the sight of the boys battling fiercely against a very large bear, claiming it was dinner. So much energy left despite the sparring match they just had. Bellus had the feeling she it would truly be an adventure, running with those two.

"Oh, ancestors of dragons' past, what have I gotten myself into?"


	5. Nosco

**Chapter 4: Nosco**

Bellus watched the scene before her with mixed feelings. She understood that these were humans she was watching, and that she shouldn't judge some of the things they did on account of being from a different species, but she couldn't help but make note of the fact that they were very _messy_. They had no manners whatsoever. Part of her was somewhat put off, but she also thought that the boys' eating habits fit in with their personalities.

Luffy and Ace scarfed down bear meat without a care in the world. Occasionally they scrapped over the better parts of their meal, but over all it was decidedly peaceful. A little ravenous, but peaceful. Having already eaten that day, Bellus sat away from them, mainly to avoid being splattered with bits of stray meat. She didn't really mind getting dirty, but that didn't mean she'd do it on purpose.

The reptilian creature turned her attention away from her new human comrades, surveying the surrounding forest. She didn't spend very much time in the woods. The trees didn't allow for very much sunlight to pass through, and being the reptile that she was, she loved sunbathing. "Might there be any places near your tree-house get more sun than this?" Bellus asked after a while. She's need a place to warm her scales if she was going to hang around with them.

"I know shome plashes." Luffy said with his mouth full.

"Good." the girl replied with a satisfied nod. She allowed the boys to finish their meal before inquiring about their lifestyle. She may as well get to know them. "I find it strange to think that two boys as young as you are on your own." she noted aloud.

"You're not much older than us." Ace retorted from the spot where he was currently lounging.

"That is true. However, under normal circumstances I would still be cared for by my family." the reptile replied.

"We don't have parents to take care of us. Unless you count my grandpa, but he's never around. Then there's also Dadan and her bandits, but they're dumb." Luffy said blankly.

Bellus silently mulled over the information. So they were not so different after all. The three of them were basically orphans who had to fend for themselves. It was something in common at least.

"What about you? How come you're by yourself?" Luffy asked.

The girl's pupils turned to slits as her gaze traveled to a memory of the past. The familiar ache of grief clawed at her heart, but she did well to hide the turmoil that swirled within her. She was not yet ready to come to terms with the relatively recent tragedy that had befallen her clan. "I don't wish to speak of it." Before either of the boys go question her any further, she added, "All you need to know is that I have no family either."

The resolved tone of her voice was enough to stifle the brothers' curiosity, for the time being at least. Perhaps one day, if they shed more light on their parent-less lives, Bellus would admit that she was not entirely fond of humans.

For now, though, the three youngsters settled on a more lighthearted topic. "Hey, Bell, what's your dream?" Luffy asked.

The reptile's head cocked to the side, partially due to the sudden shortening of her name. "My dream...?" she asked.

"Yeah! Me and Ace wanna be pirates when we grow up! And I'm gonna be the next Pirate King!"

"Pirates..." Bellus looked thoughtful as she sorted through everything she knew about humans. "That is a profession that is frowned upon, isn't it? All I know about pirates is that many humans fear them." It shouldn't be surprising that she didn't know much about piracy. After all, the people in her clan had other things to worry about other than persuading personal outlandish dreams.

"Eh? Pirates aren't bad people...Well, some are." Luffy remembered the Bluejam pirates and how they beat him because they wanted treasure. "But pirates are really people who live free and sail the seas and go on adventures!" The straw hat boy was thinking about all the interesting stories that Shanks had told him when he younger.

"Right. When we become pirates, we won't have to answer to anybody. We get to do whatever we want." Ace chimed in. "No rules, no boundaries...Just a whole lot of fun!"

Bellus had to admit, she didn't hate the sound of _freedom_. That was something she had never truly experienced. It was something many of her people never got the chance to experience. She got a tempting idea. She could be the first of her clan that didn't have to live in her own fear for her whole life. "That doesn't sound bad." she said.

"Right? It sounds like the best thing ever!" Luffy exclaimed happily. "Hey, do you want to be a part of my crew when I become a pirate?"

The girl snorted. "What, and take orders from a brat like you? No thanks." she replied.

"Then join my crew!" Ace said.

"No fair! I asked first!" his younger brother protested.

"Why would following _your_ orders be any better?" Bellus asked. "I'll pass. I haven't even decided that I want to be a pirate, yet."

"C'mon Bell, sailing with me will be fun!" Luffy insisted.

"Tch, yeah right. I'm stronger than him, so I'll be going on bigger adventures." said Ace.

She looked up at the canopy of trees above her. With a sigh, she once again wondered what she'd gotten herself into. Two eager little future pirates was sure to be exhausting. "I'll think about it. But don't get your hopes up." she replied. "I think I just want to find my own kind. I might look into piracy after that, if I'm still interested."

"There are more dragons out there?" the younger brother asked.

"I certainly hope so. If not, then that would mean I'm the last. And that is a most depressing thought..." Bellus replied. She couldn't very well be the only draconic descendant left in the world, could she? No, there had to be others somewhere. She was a part of a dwindling race, but she had to have hope that her people still thrived in some part of the world. Dragons were resilient. She was sure that they could bounce back from the brink if they had to.

"Oh yeah, you never answered my question."

Bellus looked at Luffy. "Which one?"

"Don't dragons have wings? And breath fire?" the youngest child asked.

"We do. But not until we reach the right age. I am not eighteen yet. I won't become a full fledged dragon until then." the reptile replied. "There are only a few days left. Then you will see a dragon in her true glory." she said with a hint of pride in her voice.

"Will you be able to fly? Can you take me for a ride?!" Luffy asked, suddenly growing excited.

"What? No! I am not an object to be used for entertainment. Besides, you have that slingshot move, don't you? You can sort of fly on your own..." she replied.

"But I fall once I get to high..."

"That's not my problem."

However, Luffy was the most stubborn and persistent creature Bellus had ever met. She knew that. And she was reminded of it when the boy continued to insist on giving him a ride when her wings came. She groaned inwardly. She doubted she would ever see a dull moment again. She couldn't decide whether or not that was a good thing.


	6. Update

**Update: **

I'm so sorry for not having updated in a while, but I'm honestly distracted by school at the moment. I can't focus on more than one story at a time, sadly, so this one is going to be on hiatus for a while. If you're a fan and have been looking forward to new chapters, I'm sorry. I'll get back to this eventually, I promise. (Hopefully I'll learn not to have more than one ongoing story at a time, since that seems to be a recurring problem for me.) Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. Have a nice day!**  
**


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